


And the Christmas Engagement

by angellwings



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: 12 Days of Jassandra, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Family Drama, Friendship/Love, Lies, Romance, jassandratrash | tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-11 19:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9007243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angellwings/pseuds/angellwings
Summary: Cassandra gets an invitation she can't ignore or refuse but she doesn't have to go alone. Not when Jacob Stone is around to keep her company.





	1. The Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> This is the final story for 12 Days of Jassandra! It's a story in two parts! The next part should be posted by New Years! (Maybe earlier if you're all very good lol).  
> Happy reading!  
> angellwings

The last time she’d received a printed invitation it had been a happy thing, but this invitation was anything but. She adored her Great Aunt Vertie and she had planned to spend Christmas with her anyway but not like this.

Not at a party with all the relatives Cassandra did her best to avoid all year long. It was her favorite aunt though, it would be rude to refuse. She chewed her bottom lip as she stared at the embossed invitation, complete with cheery holly border. What was she going to do? She didn’t think she had the emotional strength to face her family or…her parents.

She sighed and brought a thumb to her mouth and nervously chewed the tip of her nail. She turned the problem over and over in her head and every answer was the same. She had to go. There was no choice to make. It was already decided for her.

Just like everything else when it came to her parents.

“Cass?” a voice asked hesitantly.

She didn’t bother looking up. She knew who it was. She acknowledged him with a distracted noise. It could have been a “huh” or a “mmhmm”, she wasn’t even sure. Normally the smell of oranges would have her full attention. He always had her full attention, unless they were in danger, which was about fifty perfect of the time, honestly. But right now, danger was the least of her worries.

“You okay?” Jacob asked as he sat down across from her at the work table.

His voice sounded concerned. She looked up then. “Yeah, I’m fine. Really. I just—I just…” her sentence trailed off. She couldn’t think what to say, or how to explain.

“You just?” He asked. If he’d been concerned before, he sounded almost upset now.

She sighed and slid the invitation across the table to him. “See for yourself.”

He read the invitation with a furrowed brow and after a long silent moment looked up at her. “This Vertie Cillian, she related to you?”

Cassandra nodded. “My great aunt. She let me live with her when I moved out of my parents house. She’s the only person who ever really let me make my own choices,” she told him with a small smile. “Mismatched wardrobe and all.”

“She’s important to you then?” He asked with a measuring stare.

“The only one who really matters, honestly.”

“So, you can’t skip it,” he stated with an understanding nod.

“No, but I—I don’t know if I can go,” she said honestly. He’d confided in her before. She knew she could confide in him. “I adore Aunt Vertie. She understands me and cares about _me_ , you know? She sees more than just the tumor. But I don’t know if I have the strength required to face _them_.”

“Your parents?” He asked knowingly.

She nodded miserably.

“Would—would it help if someone went with you?” He asked. “Maybe, someone like…me?”

She looked up and gave him a startled look. “Oh, no, Jacob. It’s a Christmas Eve party. I couldn’t ask you to give up your Christmas Eve. I—“

“I ain’t got nothing to do on Chistmas Eve,” He told her honestly. “Not since Oklahoma.”

“Oh, Jacob,” she said softly as she realized what he meant. She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. “I’m sorry.”

He gave her half of a sad grin and then shrugged. “Probably for the best. Can’t imagine he and I would have much to say to each other. Not anything good, at least. I only bring it up to say—if you need someone, Cassie, I’m here. You’ve been there for me on more than one occasion and I’d be happy to return the favor.”

“Well,” she said as she considered the idea. “It would be nice to have a friend there. Only—“ she met his eyes and smiled softly at him. “Only if you’re sure it wouldn’t be an inconvenience.”

He smiled warmly at her and shook his head. “You’re never an inconvenience, Cass.”

“Okay,” she told him with a nod and a relieved smile. “Then, I guess, it’s a date!”

He nodded and chuckled softly. “I guess so.”

They didn’t bring it up again after that. It was three weeks until the dreaded party and Cassandra thought maybe she should get Stone a small gift as a thank you. She’d already gotten him a Christmas gift, but he was doing her a huge favor by going to this party with her and she felt a little extra gift would be acceptable. He’d have to wear a nice suit for the party so an appropriately themed tiepin seemed a logical choice. She’d left it on top of his laptop after a case one night and come back the next day to find a little gift wrapped box on top of her notebook. She grinned and opened it to find a beautiful Christmas wreath pin. She shook her head with a chuckle. He didn’t need to but since when had that ever stopped him?

The next week Cassandra went shopping for a dress. She couldn’t decide on any one dress so she’d bought four. It was a major splurge but this wasn’t just any party with any one group of people. She had to be perfect and look perfect. She brought the dresses to work to try them on for Eve and found her just as unhelpful as the mirror at the department store. Just after trying them on they’d been called away on a case so she’d left them hanging by the door. When she returned she found a small note scrawled out in handwriting she recognized as Jacob’s. _“I’m sure you look great in all of them.”_ She blushed and grinned as she carried the garment bags out to her car. Maybe this party wouldn’t be so bad after all.

The final week before the party led to Cassandra feeling more and more stressed as they days went on. Every night she’d go home and stare at the dresses in her closet. None seeming any more appealing than the other. She called her great aunt to ask if she needed her to bring anything and the answer was, as she expected, a very loud no.

“So,” her Aunt Vertie said with an audible grin. “You RSVP’d with a plus one.”

“Yes, Vertie, I did,” she said with an amused smile and an expectant tone.

“Mhm,” she hummed slowly. “And who is this plus one you’re bringing with you? Someone new, I’m assuming?”

“Just a friend, Auntie,” Cassandra said with a chuckle. “Don’t get any ideas.”

“You’re saying ‘Just a friend’ but that’s not what I’m hearing.”

“Auntie,” Cassandra said with a loud laugh. “I mean what I say and I say what I mean.”

“I hear you, Cassandra, but you don’t bring just any old friend to meet this family, and you know that.”

Yeah, she did.

Suddenly the day of the party was here and the four dresses still seemed impossible to decide between. She stared at her closet for nearly an hour before throwing her hands in the air and throwing on what she knew her parents would approve of. Conservative black dress, black low-heeled pumps, tan panty hose, and delicate simple jewelry. Traditional, coordinated, typical.

There was a knock at her apartment door and she picked up her nearly empty clutch purse as she ran to answer it. She’d told Jacob she would meet him at the Annex but he thought that would be pointless since her apartment was on his way. The look on his face when she opened the door was startled, and not in the flattering way.

“What?” She asked worriedly. “What’s wrong?”

“You—uh—nothing,” he said quickly. He realized his face must have betrayed him. “You look great. You do. Beautiful. But, um…”

“What?” Cassandra asked as she glanced down at her dress.

“No colorful tights? No mismatched prints? No pins? Layers?” He stated observantly. “There ain’t a thing wrong with what you’ve got on, Cass, but it just ain’t you. It’s…dull. And you’re so _vibrant_. It’s just jarring is all.”

She grinned softly at him. “You think I’m _vibrant_?”

He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his neck to busy himself. “You, um, wear a lot of bright colors is all.”

She cleared her throat and nodded before motioning to herself. “Well, _this_ is who my family expects to see. This is who they’re used to.”

He nodded slowly and gave her an understanding smile. “Okay, but is this how you’re comfortable?”

“What?” She asked as she fidgeted under his gaze.

“I just think if you’re doing something uncomfortable you should dress as comfortably as you can,” He told her with an encouraging grin.

She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. “Do you, um, want to come in for a moment?”

“Sure,” he said as he glanced down at his watch. “We have some time.”

“Make yourself comfortable,” she said as she motioned toward her living room. “I think…I think I’m going to make a few outfit adjustments.”

He smiled brightly at her and nodded. “Take your time. No rush.”

She came back out fifteen minutes later looking much more herself. Same black velvet conservative dress, but she’d added bright green tights, a white blouse with glittery polka dots, low chunky heels in bright red suede, and assorted Christmas themed accessories. In particular, he noticed the Christmas wreath brooch pinned to the collar of her blouse. The one he’d given her.

“Better?” She asked nervously as she twirled in front him.

He nodded. “Absolutely. This is much more Cassandra.”

He spotted the red coat she’d laid out on a chair by the door and held it up for her to slip into.

“Oh, thank you,” she told him as she slipped her arms into the sleeves and he helped her slide it on. He smelled gardenia and honey as he stood behind her and he gulped nervously. He shouldn’t be this susceptible to whatever perfume she was wearing, should he?

“Oh god, is that the time?” Cassandra asked as she glanced at the clock on her wall. “We’ve got to get going. Jenkins has the door set for us but we’re still going to be pressed for time just getting from here to the Annex.”

Cassandra was suddenly flustered and rushed as they got into his car. She didn’t say a word on the drive over but he still kept getting distracted by her. She kept wringing her hands. She was gripping them together so tightly that her knuckles were white. They parked out side the Annex and before they got out Jacob reached over and placed his hands on top of hers.

“Cassie,” he said with a kind smile. “Relax. It’s gonna be fine.”

“No, no it won’t,” she said with a huff. “This evening is going to end in disaster. You’ll see.” She glanced down at his watch and gasped. “Oh god, we’re going to be late.”

His brow furrowed before he smirked at her teasingly. “Aren’t you supposed to be ‘fashionably late’ to a party?”

She scoffed and shook her head. “No, not with my family. Let’s get this over with.”

When they made it inside they found the door set to New York City already, as Jenkins had indicted it would be, and they quickly made their way through the door. After stumbling through, Cassandra straightened her dress and then gave Jacob a once over.

“Oh, your tie,” she said softly as she reached over, before he could stop her, and adjusted the knot. She grinned softly as she noticed the Christmas reindeer tie pin she’d bought him. “You wore it.”

He nodded and smiled warmly at her. “Yeah, well, I don’t wear a tie very often and…it seemed appropriate. Okay, so where are we headed from here?”

She peered down the street from the door they’d come out of to look at the street signs. “Well, looks like Jenkins got us fairly close. My aunt’s house should only be a couple of blocks that way,” she said as she pointed over her shoulder.

“Alright then,” he said as he held his arm out to her. “Let’s go.”

She hesitated and let out a little whine as she took his arm and headed down the street.

“I imagine this is how you felt when we got that case in Oklahoma,” she said with a sigh.

“Well, not at first. I mean I didn’t know my pop was gonna be there until we were on the job site. Before then I just…didn’t want relive old memories. I can tell you I would have found an excuse to avoid it if I’d known.”

“Good thing you didn’t then,” Cassandra said as she gave his arm an encouraging squeeze.

“Why do you say that?” He asked in confusion.

“Because—well, that was a big moment for you and I…I was proud of the way you handled it,” she told him with an affectionate smile. “It was brave to face your past the way you did. “

“You were proud of me?” Jacob asked her with a bright smile.

“I’m always proud of you,” she admitted with a casual shrug. “You’re brilliant, Jacob. How could I not be?”

“I suppose if it was a good thing I had to face my past then maybe this will be the same for you,” Jacob told her. “You’ve grown so much since we first met, Cassie. You know who you are now and what you want. Maybe it’s time you tell your family that.”

She shook her head. “You don’t know them like I do. What I want is never enough. What I want pales in comparison to what _they_ wanted for me. I’m never going to have that so I’m…a burden.”

“You’re not a burden,” he assured her.

She chuckled and gave him an affectionate smile. “I’m not a burden _to you_. You’re not like them Jacob. You’re so much better than them. I’m almost sorry you have to meet them. You don’t deserve what I’m sure is coming.”

“It can’t be that bad,” he said in disbelief.

“Wanna bet?” She asked as she stopped walking and pointed to a door decorated with lighted garland and a very large whimsical wreath. “We’re here.”

The wreath had a huge Santa in the middle and large brightly colored lights wrapped around the very real pine needles. He also noticed little ceramic kittens sporadically decorating it. He chuckled and poked one of the ceramic kittens. “I’m guessing this aunt is who you inherited your style from?”

Cassandra genuinely laughed for the first time all night and nodded. “Oh yes, just wait until you see the inside.”

She rang the doorbell and Jake felt Cassandra tighten her grip on his arm. He wasn’t sure, but he had a feeling if she wasn’t gripping his arm she’d be shaking. He placed a hand over hers and gave her a reassuring smile.

The door opened to reveal a petite woman in a lit up Christmas sweater. The sweater featured Kittens tangled in Christmas lights. She also had a bright green gift-wrapping bow in her silver hair. Jacob couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. This had to be Cassandra’s great aunt.

“There you are! Oh, darling girl!” the woman said as she hugged Cassandra forcefully and then dragged her inside. As soon as Cassandra was over the threshold she reached out and pulled Jacob inside as well. “Come on now, introduce me.”

Cassandra chuckled and kissed her aunt on the check. “Aunt Vertie, this is my friend Jacob Stone. Jacob, this is Vertie Cillian.”

“Well, aren’t you a treat for the eyes,” Vertie said as she pulled him in for a tight hug. “Oh and very fit. Excellent choice, my girl.”

“Aunt Vertie!” Cassandra said with an embarrassed laugh. “I told you, he’s my _friend_.”

Jacob blushed as the old woman finally released him. “Uh, it’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Oh! And southern! Charming!”

Cassandra leaned toward him with red flushed cheeks. “I am _so_ sorry.”

He chuckled awkwardly and shook his head. “It’s fine. I mean, at least I know she doesn’t hate me. Right?”

She giggled and nodded. “Right. In fact, I think she might try and keep you.”

“Oh, don’t you joke about that,” Vertie said with a wink. “I just might. Now, you two go on into the living room. Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Here, let me take your coats—“

“Oh, no,” Jacob said with a shake of his head. “Tell me where they go, I’ve got it.”

“The closet down the hall. My, aren’t you a gentleman,” Vertie said as she threw another wink at Cassandra.

Cassandra shook her head and blushed a deeper shade of red. Jacob chose not to respond and helped Cassandra with her coat. She continued on into the living room as he hung up their coats.

Cassandra hesitantly glanced around the room. She and Jacob were the last of the family to arrive. Everyone else was here. She closed her eyes and hoped no one would notice her, or at least not notice her until dinner.

“Oh my goodness, if it isn’t Cassandra.”

She opened her eyes to find her cousin Ashley smiling at her. It was by no means a genuine smile. It was hiding something vicious. Cassandra and Ashley had never gotten along and that wasn’t going to change now.

“Hi, Ashley,” Cassandra said with a wave.

“So, do they not have clocks in that library you work at now?” She asked with a forced laugh. “Everyone else arrived at least a half hour ago. But it’s fine, dinner’s not ready yet so at least we didn’t have to wait to eat.”

“Yeah, well, you know, holiday traffic,” Cassandra said as tried not to roll her eyes.

“So, Aunt Vertie says you work at the Metropolitan Public Library now? That’s certainly…well, it’s a step up from hospital janitor, isn’t it?” Ashley asked with a snide grin.

“I suppose it is,” Cassandra agreed with a half hearted smile.

“But, you know, you’ve always been a bit sturdier than the rest of it. We’re all more suited for intellectual pursuits but you’ve always been a lot like Aunt Vertie. You’re just built for physical labor and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, given your situation, it’s a miracle you’re as able as you are.”

Cassandra gripped her hands together and looked around for Jacob. How long did it take to put away their coats? Was there wine? She needed wine. She realized Ashley was still talking but didn’t care to try and put together what she was saying. Ashley never said anything truly nice anyway. She started to look around for Jacob again when a glass of white wine suddenly appeared in front of her. Her gaze followed the glass to the hand that held it, to the arm that hand was connected to, and then finally to Jacob who held a glass for her in one hand a beer for himself in the other.

She smiled gratefully at him and eagerly accepted the glass. “Thank you.”

“Liquid courage,” he said with a chuckle. “Thought you might need some.”

“Oh,” Ashley said as her gaze swept over Jacob. “Who is this?”

“Jacob Stone, this is my cousin, Ashley Anderson,” Cassandra said in a flat tone.

“And how do you know Cassandra?” Ashley asked as she shook his hand.

“We work together,” He answered honestly.

“At a library?” Ashley asked with a quirked brow. “Well, I suppose library’s hire a wide variety of people these days.” Her waspish tone and cold glance in Stone’s direction left him feeling like the target of an insult. Though, her words weren’t technically insulting.

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed on Ashley and then Jacob noticed her give her a predatory smile and tilt her head. He’d seen that look before.

“Yeah, yeah I guess. I mean what library wouldn’t want to hire someone who speaks 9 different languages and can read over a dozen more. Or who has honorary degrees at universities on four different continents. Not to mention who taught _himself_ to read Greek texts at night as a child,” Cassandra told her. Passive aggressive Cassandra either amused him or terrified him, depending on the situation. This time he was amused. Though, he appreciated her defending him. The fact that she’d memorized a list of his accomplishments bolstered his ego more than he really thought possible.

“Cass,” he said as he gave her a grateful smile. “It’s fine.”

She huffed and took a long sip of her wine.

“Well, it was nice to meet you Mr. Stone,” Ashley said with a reluctantly glance at Cassandra. “Cassandra, it was _interesting_ seeing you again.”

“Yeah, you too,” she muttered with a shake of her head.

Jacob chuckled as Ashley walked away. “You’re in rare form tonight.”

“They can insult me all they want,” Cassandra told him seriously. “But they don’t get to insult you. You’re here as a favor to me and I won’t let it happen.”

He nudged her shoulder and caught her gaze. “I appreciate it, but I can handle myself. If anybody knows about family it’s me, remember?”

She took a deep slow breath. “Family ain’t easy.”

He gave her a small smile and nodded. “No, it ain’t.”

“It’s polite to make a round through out the room to say hello, Cassandra, dear.”

Cassandra froze and reached for Stone’s arm. He knew then that the female voice he’d just heard was not another cousin.

“We just arrived, mother. I didn’t want to make my rounds without my guest. Wouldn’t that be just as rude?” Cassandra said in a tone that was much more formal than he’d ever heard her. She sound cold and…small.

“Of course,” her mother said in indifferent understanding. “I wasn’t aware you were bringing a guest. I just assumed with your illness you’d be coming alone.”

It took Jacob a moment to register what Mrs. Cillian had said and when he did he felt anger bubbling up in his chest. Why would a person say that to their own daughter? Jacob adjusted Cassandra’s hold on his arm so that he could squeeze her hand in a gesture of support.

Cassandra bit her bottom lip and took a sip of her wine before speaking again. “I—I do have friends, mother. I have a job and a life. There are people in this world who care about me—“

“Yes, I know, dear,” her mother said with a sigh. “But we know you’re not normal. You haven’t been for many years now. To expect that you would date like a normal young woman your age is--well—unrealistic. I don’t know many people who would—this is not a conversation for mixed company,” her mother said as she took a breath and shook her head. She looked as though she and Cassandra had discussed this several times before. Jacob couldn’t imagine ever talking to anyone the way Mrs. Cillian was speaking to her daughter. Because Cassandra had a tumor that meant no one would be willing to date her? Or love her? That seemed to be a cruel assumption.

Mrs. Cillian then moved her gaze from Cassandra to Jacob with a cold but cordial smile. “I assume this young man is a coworker of yours?”

Cassandra bit her bottom lip and blinked rapidly for a moment. He’d seen that before too. She was blinking back tears. God, she’d warned him, but he hadn’t expected…this was too much. They couldn’t dismiss her like this just because of a tumor. Cassandra was a brilliant beautiful person with dreams and goals and fears. She was human. If this was her mother then Jacob dreaded meeting her father.

Someone had to do something.

“Jacob Stone, this is my mother, Catherine Cillian. Mother, this is my f—“

“Fiancé,” Jacob said as he quickly interrupted her. “Her Fiancé, Jacob Stone.”

What the hell was he doing? He asked himself as he smiled pleasantly at Catherine Cillian. Her eyes widened in shock and her lips formed a surprised circle. Why was fake fiancé the first thing he jumped to?

Cassandra downed the rest of her wine and gripped his arm to the point of cutting off his circulation. He had a feeling she was holding herself upright and trying to hurt him at the same time. Her face was flushed and she was trying desperately to cover up her own surprise at his announcement.

“It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Ma’am,” Jacob told Mrs. Cillian with a nod.

“Very nice to meet you as well, Mr. Stone,” Mrs. Cillian said as she eyed him suspiciously. She then motioned to the beer in his hand. “I didn’t know my aunt kept beer for her parties.”

He glanced at his drink self-consciously before he spoke. “Oh, um, Ms. Vertie handed it to me before walking in here. So, I suppose she does.”

“I haven’t heard anything about you, Mr. Stone,” Catherine said in a tone that was surprisingly void of emotion.

“Well,” Cassandra said evenly. Her mother's dig at Jacob's choice of beverage had aggravated her and maybe made her a little braver. “It’s hard to learn anything about my life when we never talk. Jacob’s not the only thing you don’t know about me, Mother. In fact, you don’t really know me at all.”

“As evidenced by your wardrobe,” Her mother said as she glanced around the room with an embarrassed sigh. “Really, Cassandra, this is a formal occasion. This is not how you dressed when you lived under my roof.”

Cassandra chuckled bitterly. “Yes, because I never got to dress myself. You picked out every outfit I ever wore. Well, until I was 15 and then who gave a damn, right?”

“What did you just say?” Catherine asked with a glare.

Cassandra shook her head and met her mother’s eyes. “What is the point of this? You won’t change. You won’t listen.” She turned on her heel, released Jacob’s arm, and stormed out of the room. Jacob took one step to go after her before turning back to the woman who _somehow_ raised Cassandra.

“I know you don’t see this,” Jacob said as he looked Catherine Cillian in the eye. “But that woman,” he said as he pointed in the direction Cassandra had walked. “Is the best thing to ever happen to you. No, she’s not everything you imagined her to be. I’ll give you that. She’s _so much_ more. She’s brilliant and compassionate and probably the best friend I could ask for. It’s astonishing to me that you can’t see beyond the dream _you_ lost to see the phenomenal woman she’s become.”

“Are you done?” Catherine Cillian asked him with a huff and an impatient tap her high heeled shoe.

Jacob let out a dry shocked laugh and nodded. “Yeah, yeah I guess I am.”

He followed after Cassandra and found her in the kitchen sneaking a piece of pumpkin pie.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I think,” She said with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. “I really don’t know. I mean, you’d think I’d be used to that from her. But—It still hurts. Every time.”

“Cassandra, I don’t really know what to say to make it any better except—well I thought you handled it very well. You didn’t back down,” Jacob assured her. “You told her how you felt.”

“Not that she’ll listen to any of it,” Cassandra muttered. In all the drama that came after she seemed to have forgotten the part that he told her mother he was her fiancé.

“Oh my darling!” A loud voice yelled from behind them. They both turned to find Vertie grinning from ear to ear and approaching them with open arms. “I just heard the _wonderful_ news! Congratulations!”

Cassandra’s eyes widened and she suddenly remembered his lie.

“Oh, Aunt Vertie, there’s something that I should—“

“I knew it the moment I opened the door and saw the two of you standing on my stoop,” Vertie said as she reached up and pinched Jacob’s cheek. “So much love between the two of you. I just knew there was more to it!”

“Who’d have thought?” Cousin Ashley said as she appeared in the kitchen door. “Cassandra, of all people, engaged before me.”

Vertie rolled her eyes and then winked at Jacob and Cassandra. “Yes, who on earth could imagine that? You’re such an…extremely self confident little thing. Maybe that’s the reason you’re still single, Ashley dear, men find you intimidating.” She turned to Jacob and Cassandra then and ushered them out of the kitchen. “Come on, you love birds, now I have two reasons to celebrate! My favorite niece has met the love of her life, the final piece of her happiness. Just as happy an occasion as Christmas!”

And then they were back in the living room with all of her family. There was no time to explain, though, because everyone was offering them congratulations and advice. There wasn’t much room for either of them to talk. By then it was much too widespread to correct without suffering total humiliation. Cassandra’s mother had disappeared and Stone had still yet to meet her father. Which he thought was strange considering the whole Cillian family was now under the impression he and Cassandra were engaged. Finally, there was a moment to breathe before dinner and Cassandra grabbed his arm and pulled him upstairs into one of the guest rooms.


	2. The Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to Christmas Engagement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“My family thinks we’re engaged!” she yelled frantically.

“Yeah,” he said with a wince. “About that…”

“What were you thinking?” Cassandra asked him as she paced in front of him.

“I was thinking…I was thinking no one should be treated the way you were being treated and that you’re a human being who deserves to have dreams and love and concern and that anyone who thought otherwise needed to be shown the obvious error of their ways.”

“And the only way you could think to do that was by claiming to be my fiancé?” Cassandra asked loudly.

“There wasn’t a lot of time! It was the first thing I could think of! I mean the fact that these people think it’s impossible that anyone would care about you—who treats people like that? You’re brilliant, Cass. You have every chance at anything and everything good in the world. Who wouldn’t look at you and believe that? Or _want_ that for you?” He asked her in a frustrated tone.

Her brow relaxed and she smiled shyly at him. “That’s—that’s actually really sweet.”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I know you don’t want to lie to your aunt. I don’t blame you for that. These people just made me so mad. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“I get it,” she said with a chuckle as she sat down on the edge of the bed. “Believe me I do. And, you know, the look on my mother’s face was actually really satisfying. But…now what do we do? It’s too late to tell them without it leading to me looking completely pathetic.”

“Hey, I started this whole mess. I mean, I’m more than willing to play along,” Jacob offered while sitting down next to her.

Cassandra bit her bottom lip and stared at him for a long quiet moment before she finally spoke. “What harm would it do really? I only see most of these people once a year and I never talk to them in between. We can pretend for the night and then come next year I’ll just say it didn’t work out. They’ll certainly believe that.”

“So, we’re doing this?” Jacob asked her hopefully.

She grinned at him and nodded. “Yeah, we’ll go with it.”

“How do we answer the questions we know people will ask?” He asked her.

“Keep everything as close to the truth as we can,” she told him. “We met through work, we had a tough time getting along at first but eventually we became really good friends and now we’re… _engaged_. And everything else we can pull an Ezekiel and _wing it_.”

“Wing it?” He asked with a grin. “You think that’s gonna work?”

“Well, we don’t have time to hash out all the details. It’ll have to,” she said with a sigh and a shrug. “Besides, if we keep it close to the truth then working out our stories shouldn’t be too difficult.”

A knock sounded at the door and a voice called through the door as the knob turned. “Listen, you love birds—“

Cassandra suddenly sprung forward and grabbed his suit jacket by the collar. Jacob didn’t quite know what was happening until her lips crashed down on his. He froze for a moment in surprise before he finally wrapped his arms around her and leaned into the kiss.

“Oh! Oh my,” Aunt Vertie said with a laugh. “I should have known.”

Cassandra pulled away from the kiss and blinked at him in astonishment. He knew exactly how she felt. That was not your average kiss and definitely not a lie.

“If you two are done in here, dinner is ready and everyone is sitting down to eat,” Vertie said with a knowing grin.

“Right,” Cassandra said as she shook herself back to the present and stood up. “We’re coming.”

Jake nodded and stood as well. He couldn’t bring himself to form words. He was still recovering from the kiss. Cassandra walked out the door but Jacob couldn’t seem to move. There was a moment where he stood staring at the door before Cassandra came back in to the room with a shy smile and held her hand out to him.

He cleared his throat and blushed as he realized he would need to follow her. He placed his hand in hers and let her lead him down the stairs into the dining room. He heard Cassandra let out a tired sigh as she spotted their empty seats across from her parents. They sat down and Cassandra leaned toward him. “Vertie keeps thinking my parents and I will patch things up. So, anytime we’re all together she does things like _this_.”

Stone squeezed hand under the table and whispered. “Just a couple more hours, Cass. And then you’re home free.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “I can do that.”

“Yes,” he told her with a confident encouraging smile. “You can.”

“So,” Vertie asked as she sat down at the head of the table and the help began to serve the salads. “How did you two meet?”

“Through work,” Cassandra said with a smile.

“You’re a librarian too, Jacob?” Catherine Cillian asked with a quirked brow.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jacob said with a nod. “Cassie and I started work the same day.”

“Love at first sight?” Vertie asked with a quirked brow.

Jacob and Cassie exchanged hesitant glances to try and decide who would speak first. Jacob cleared his throat to indicate he would. “I don’t know about _love_ ,” he said with a grin. “But there was certainly something strangely familiar about her.” He met Cassandra’s eyes and refused to look away as he continued. “I tried my hardest to keep her at arm’s length and I couldn’t do it. She drew me in no matter how much I resisted.”

Cassandra beamed at him and blushed. She told him to stick to the truth. She knew he wasn’t lying.

“And you, my dear?” Vertie asked as she gave Cassandra a pointed glance.

“Me?” She said thoughtfully. She grinned at him as she spoke. “He’s stubborn, frustrating on occasion. But he’s impressed me from the very beginning and even when weren’t getting along he was always there. He actually _saw_ me. It’s hard to ignore someone like that.”

While Cassandra talked, Jacob felt something in his chest flutter and clench. Maybe it was the kiss from earlier, the words they’d exchanged just now, or something else all together but he couldn’t resist picking her hand up off the table and placing a kiss to the back of it with a wink. He ignored the eyes that he felt boring into him as he turned back to the rest of the table.

“So, Jacob,” the man he assumed was Cassandra’s father said as he poured dressing over his salad. “What plans do you and my daughter have for the future?”

“The future?” Cassandra asked. “Dad, I don’t think now is quite the time to—“

“It’s a simple question, Cassandra, and if the two of you are as serious as you say then you must have discussed the future. I’m merely curious as to what those plans might be. Whatever time the two of you may have together should prove productive and valuable.”

“Well, the future is the Library,” Jacob said honestly. His gaze narrowed on Cassandra’s father. He was really beginning to wonder what was wrong with these people. Did they have to keep reminded Cassandra of her health? She’s very much aware. “We’re both very happy there.”

Jacob was beginning to understand why she was so afraid of being seen as fragile. He’d wondered where it had come from and he knew her parents didn’t really allow her to have a childhood but he never would have put those two things together.

Until now.

“The Library?” He asked.

“Yes, dad,” Cassandra said with an irritated sigh. “The Library.”

“So, you really plan to be a librarian for the rest of your life?” Her father asked with a shake of his head. “We had such plans—“

“How are the salads?” Vertie asked as she urgently interrupted the conversation. “The dressing is the caterer’s own recipe.”

“It’s delicious, Auntie,” Cassandra said as she forced a smile at her aunt.

“Good,” she said with a nod. “I think we’re ready for the next course.” She motioned for one of the servers and they began clearing the salads.

“Where’s the ring?” Cousin Ashley asked from the other end of the table.

“Oh, um, we’re—having it resized!” Cassandra said quickly. “Right, honey?”

Jacob immediately nodded. “Right, the ring was my great-grandmother's and, well, she kinda had fat fingers. Cassandra’s are very slender, so obviously that wouldn’t work.”

“I should have it back after Christmas,” Cassandra said with a polite smile.

“How big is it?” Ashley asked eagerly.

Cassandra didn’t quite know how to answer but Jacob did.

“Two carats,” he answered. “My great-grandmother’s ring is two carats.”

“Oh, very nice,” Aunt Vertie told him. “Your great-grandmother was very lucky to have such a ring.”

“Yeah, well, my great-grandfather had just made a bit of a fortune when he proposed so he splurged,” Jacob told Vertie with a grin.

“I think that is an appropriate splurge,” Vertie said with a nod. “What did he make a fortune in?”

Jacob glanced around the table hesitantly. Cassandra’s relatives were coming off very snobbish and he knew what their reaction would be to this news.

“Jacob’s family has an oil rigging business,” Cassandra said as she stuck her chin out proudly. He gave her a grateful smile in response and she grinned with a nod. She meant it when she said he impressed her and she didn’t just mean his knowledge.

“Oil rigging?” Her father asked with a blank face.

“Oh, yes, it’s made him quite the engineer,” Cassandra as she suddenly leaned toward him and placed a slow kiss on his cheek. “He’s brilliant.”

Jacob blushed and then took her hand again. “I don’t know ‘bout all that.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes chuckled at him. “Yes, you do. You’re brilliant. Don’t deny it and learn to deal with me bragging. It’s going to be happening a lot.”

The main course was set down in front of them by servers Jacob never even saw coming. Cassandra’s father was full on glaring at him now. Suddenly he felt like he was being choked or like the room was too small. He loosened his tie but that didn’t seem to help very much. Thankfully, though, silence spread across the room as everyone ate. Dessert and coffee was next and the questions turned toward Ashley and her current plans. He and Cassandra were off the hook for the time being.

Ashley droned on about her latest research and the drug she’d helped create that would revolutionize weight loss but Cassandra looked beyond fine with letting her talk. While Ashley told yet another story about her own brilliance Vertie patted Cassandra’s hand and leaned toward her to speak in hushed tones.

“Dear, why don’t you and Jacob go and tell the Caterer’s to delay dessert for a few minutes,” Vertie asked her with a knowing sympathetic smile. “Ashley’s on a roll. It might be a while before we’re ready for the next course.”

Cassandra nodded and tried not to stand too eagerly. She grabbed Jacob’s hand and pulled him along behind her. Vertie winked at him as he passed her.

“Don’t be gone too long, lovebirds,” Vertie whispered. “The vultures will notice.”

Cassandra relayed Vertie’s message to the caterer’s and then lead Jacob outside onto the front stoop. The air was cold but it was a welcome relief when compared to how stuffy Vertie’s house had become since meeting Cassandra’s parents.

“Thanks for being such a good sport, Jacob,” Cassandra said softly.

He chuckled at her and shook his head. “I’m the one that got us into this. There’s no need to thank me.”

“I don’t mean the engagement,” she said with a sigh. “I mean my parents.”

“They’re not doing anything to hurt me, Cass,” he said as he gave her a concerned look. “I’m more worried about you.”

“You shouldn’t,” she told him. “I’m used to it.”

“That’s what worries me,” Jacob admitted. “You shouldn’t be used to that.”

“And you shouldn’t be used to being belittled and insulted or made to feel stupid, but you are,” she said sadly. “We both have our damage. This is mine.”

“I don’t know how you managed to…” he stopped himself as he realized it may reveal too much.

“To what?” Cassandra asked.

“To become as brilliant and caring as you are. With parents like those it just seems impossible,” he admitted as he made sure to catch her gaze.

She blushed and smiled warmly at him. “Having met your father I could say the same for you. Your knowledge is so beautiful and amazing and the way you apply it…And then there’s the way you protect what and who you care about. I sometimes wonder how a man like you even exists at all.”

He scoffed bitterly. “I wonder sometimes too.”

“You know I meant everything I said about you in there, don’t you?” Cassandra asked him shyly.

He grinned softly and hesitantly reached for her hand. “I was hoping you did. I meant what I said about you.”

“Really?”

“You said stick as close to the truth as possible,” he told her with a smirk. “So, that’s what I did.”

“You know,” Cassandra said as she fluttered her eyelashes at him and smiled flirtatiously. “When this engagement is over, I wouldn’t mind going on a date.”

Jacob smiled brightly at her and nodded. “Me too.”

“We could go on that date now,” she said as she stared out at the sidewalk eagerly. “We have an easy exit.”

“I don’t think your aunt would like that very much,” Jacob said with a sad smile.

She sighed tiredly. “True. Fine, I guess we should go inside.”

Jacob squeezed her hand. “You’re not going in alone. I’m right here.”

“Yes, you are,” Cassandra told him as she leaned toward him and draped her arms across his shoulders. “Thank you.”

He shook his head. “Already told you, there’s no need to thank me.”

Cassandra giggled. “That’s what all the heroes say.”

“Cass,” he said bashfully with a playful roll of his eyes as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist.

“The more you blush the more I want to brag about you,” Cassandra said with a teasing smirk. “Among other things.”

“Oh yeah?” He asked with a playful grin. “What are these ‘other things’?”

“More of what we did upstairs except not because I didn’t want my aunt to hear us coming up with a good story to tell my family,” Cassandra admitted.

“I can’t say I’d mind that,” Jacob told her with a lop-sided smirk.

Cassandra leaned in and they were moments away from kissing a second time when Vertie’s front door opened and a throat cleared impatiently.

“Cassandra,” a deep stern voice said in a disapproving tone. “We’re starting the dessert course now. You’re keeping us waiting.”

They both turned to find Cassandra’s father glaring at them. He stepped out of the doorway and motioned them inside.

“Sorry, dad,” Cassandra said as her grin fell and the playful happiness they’d been feeling vanished. “We just needed some air.”

“In the middle of dinner? Really, Cassandra, I understand feeling the side effects of your tumor but you could at least—“

“It had nothing to do with that,” Cassandra said with a shake of her head and an emotional gulp. “I feel _fine_.”

“Well, then there was no reason to leave in the middle of dinner was there?”

“You know what,” Jacob said with a huff as he glared at Cassandra’s father. “I’ve changed my mind. Let’s get out of here. Let’s tell your aunt goodbye and Merry Christmas and get the hell out of here. We can come back and see your aunt tomorrow.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened and she gave Jacob a confused glance. “But didn’t you say—“

“I know what I said but not even family gets to talk to you like _that_ ,” Jacob said angrily as he walked passed Cassandra’s father to the closet that held their coats. “They should be talking to you like a person. A person who has value and worth. A person who’s struggled more than she should have and who’s braver than even she knows. A person like that, Cassandra, deserves to be treated with love and respect and you’re not finding that here.” He ripped open the closet door and retrieved his and Cassandra’s coats as he returned to Cassandra and helped her with hers, Vertie walked into the room.

Cassandra stared at him in grateful awe and then gave him a look that was so thankful and so affectionate that he almost couldn’t stand it. He’d never seen so much warmth in her blue eyes before. It was difficult to look away.

“Where are you going?” Vertie asked Cassandra in concern as she glared briefly at Mr. Cillian.

“Ms. Vertie,” Jacob said with a polite smile. “It’s been a real pleasure meeting you. It’s wonderful to see someone who cares about Cassandra as much as you do.”

“I should say the same to you, Mr. Stone, but where are you going?” Vertie asked in disappointment.

“I’m sorry, auntie,” Cassandra said as she hugged her aunt and kissed her cheek. “I would love to spend Christmas Eve with you but…I can’t,” she said honestly. “Maybe I could have a year or two ago before I had—“ she paused and glanced back at Jacob with an emotion he couldn’t quite define. It was hope and longing and peace and warmth but it all combined into a look that was difficult to describe. Though it was a look he’d never forget. “Before I had someone to show me how I _should_ be treated. I’m in a very good place right now and I’m afraid it’s not here. It’s not with these people. Out of everyone here, Aunt Vertie, you’re the only person to ever care about me and my needs. Please don’t see this as disrespect to you,” Cassandra told her honestly. “I will come back to see you tomorrow when everyone’s gone. I promise.”

“We’ll both come and see you,” Jacob added as he gave Cassandra a look of pride and then smiled pleasantly at Vertie. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Well, I understand, dear girl,” Vertie told her as she kissed Cassandra’s cheek. “I’ve been the black sheep in this family long before you were ever born. Go,” she said with an encouraging smile. “Go spend Christmas Eve with your young man there. Leave me to deal with these boneheads. Hmm?” She reached out and patted Cassandra’s cheek. “Thank you for being the bright shining star you are, Cassandra. Never change.” She then turned to Jacob and pointed a finger at him. “And _you_ keep taking care of her the way you have been tonight. She needs it. Not enough people took care of _her_ growing up. You hear me?”

He nodded solemnly as the old woman reached up and patted his cheek as well. “Now, you two kids get out of here. Go. _Be happy_ ,” she told him. “Engaged or… _not_.” She winked at both him and Cassandra before she continued. “Merry Christmas.”

“Vertie, how did you—“

She interrupted Cassandra and tapped the side of her nose to indicate it was her secret to keep. “I should get back to my guests. See you tomorrow, my dear.”

Cassandra laughed and nodded. “Tomorrow.”

“And be sure to bring him with you,” she said as she leaned up and pressed a kiss to Jacob’s cheek. “If only so I can look at him. My, you are much too handsome.”

He blushed and nodded his thanks before he muttered goodbye and slipped on his coat. Vertie grabbed Cassandra’s father by the underside of his arm and dragged him back into the dining room, scolding him all the while. Cassandra and Jacob chuckled as they watched them walk away before he turned to face Cassandra reluctantly.

“Sorry, if I overstepped but I didn’t think it would be so difficult to stand there and listen to these people. I know you say you’re used to it but I’m not. I can’t let them do that to you,” Jacob told her with a sigh.

“You did overstep a little,” she admitted. “But I’m grateful for it. I’ve never had someone stand up to my family _for me_ before. I’ve never had anyone understand enough to even try it. It made me feel…like I was _important_ to someone. Does that make sense?”

He nodded and then held out a hand to her. “Come on, let’s go home.”

She quickly accepted his hand and left her aunt’s brownstone with him. They set off toward where they left the Backdoor but Cassandra stopped him one block short of it.

“Jacob,” she asked hesitantly. “ _Am I_ important to you?” He’d made her feel that way but…she didn’t want to give tonight a meaning he hadn’t intended.

“Honestly?” Jacob said reluctantly. “There’s not much more important to me than you, Cass, and somehow you’re still becoming more and more important every day I know you.”

“Is that why you were willing to suffer through tonight with me?” Cassandra asked with a small smile.

He reached up and ran a gentle hand across her cheek. “Anything for you.”

Cassandra bit her bottom lip nervously as though she were turning a serious thought over in her head. He’d seen that look before. He could tell when she was thinking very carefully about something, though _what_ she was thinking was sometimes harder to read. Which is why she took him by surprise when she suddenly launched herself at him in a tight hug. Much like last time she surprised him with a hug, he froze for a moment before wrapping his arms around her. She pulled back and then just as quickly as she hugged him, she kissed him. She didn’t rush and there was no desperation behind it. Their first kiss had been a last ditch attempt to keep anyone from suspecting they weren’t engaged. There was no one watching for this kiss. This was a slow, deliberate, passionate kiss for just the two of them. He’d never felt anything like it.

“You know,” he said as they finally pulled apart for air. “We don’t have to be back right away,” he told her. “We could go on that date we talked about.”

She beamed at him and nodded. “A Christmas date? That sounds like an excellent idea to me. There’s a diner a couple blocks down. We missed dessert at Aunt Vertie’s, and while it won’t be chocolate torte, I know they have pie that’s to die for.”

“And coffee?” He asked knowingly.

She laughed. “It’s a diner. Of course they have coffee.” She released him and then looped her arm through his as they walked down the street toward the diner. “I like this better than that dinner. Anytime it’s just you and me is typically my favorite.”

“Mine too,” He told her with a contented sigh as he placed his hand on top of hers. “Especially tonight.”

“Why especially tonight?” She asked.

“Because this feels like the start of something, doesn’t it?” He asked. “The start of something…grand. Something risky but irresistible. Something—“

“Adventurous?” She asked him knowingly. She always knew exactly what he wanted to say. He nodded and she smiled brightly before squeezing his arm tighter. “Well, I’m up for it if you are.”

“Always,” he told her with a nod before he slowly kissed her cheek. And he meant it to. _Always_.


End file.
